Pedal adjustable drum

Abstract

A drum is adjustable in pitch by a pedal assembly connected by a wire cable to an actuating lever. The lever causes pressure to be exerted against a tension-adjusting ring over which the drumhead is stretched. The pedal may be locked in any selected position to maintain the desired pitch, and the height of the drum is adjustable without adjustment of the cable linkage. A drum which is adjustable in pitch by rotation of the drum shell can thus be made adjustable by use of a pedal as well. The assembly for exerting pressure against the tension-adjusting ring is designed to be retro-fitted to certain types of existing drums to permit use therewith without the need for extensive modifications.

I claim: 
     
       1. Actuating apparatus for adjustable pitch drums comprising a foot pedal,   a support stand,   a support rod carried by said support stand and adapted to support a drum,   a pivoted lever arm mounted on said support stand,   a push rod engaged with said pivoted lever arm and adapted to be pushed upward thereby,   a "C" shaped bracket having arms slideably received on said support rod, said bracket resting upon said push rod and adapted to engage drumhead tensioning means associated with said drum, and   means connected to said pivoted lever arm and actuated by said foot pedal for pivoting said lever arm against said push rod upon depression of said foot pedal, thereby urging said "C" shaped bracket against said drumhead tensioning means to tension the drumhead of said drum.   
     
     
       2. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said support stand comprises a telescoping rod assembly having a plurality of hollow support columns slideably engaged together. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus as in claim 2 wherein said means for pivoting said lever arm comprises a wire cable connected to said lever arm opposite the point of engagement of said lever arm with said push rod, said wire cable being wound about a first pulley connected to a pivoted toggle arm actuated by said foot pedal and about a second pulley support within said telescoping rod assembly and being connected to the uppermost of said hollow support columns at its end opposite the point of connection to said pivoted lever arm. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus as in claim 3 wherein said toggle arm comprises a curved cam surface with which a cam roller connected to said foot pedal is engaged for pivoting said toggle arm downward upon depression of said foot pedal and thereby causing said wire cable to exert force on said pivoted lever arm. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said foot pedal is carried by a pedal support arm pivotally connected to said support stand. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus as in claim 5 further including a sprocket mounted on said pedal support arm and a roller chain engaged with the teeth of said sprocket, said roller chain being affixed at one end to said support stand and at the other end to take-up means, and brake means for locking said sprocket to prevent rotation thereof, whereby activation of said brake means causes said apparatus to maintain a fixed degree of tension upon said drumhead. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus as in claim 6 wherein said brake means comprises a compressible block having a brake drum received therein, said brake drum being mounted coaxially with said sprocket, and means for compressing said block to lock said brake drum against rotation therein, whereby said sprocket is also locked against rotation. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus for adjusting the pitch of a drum, comprising a tensioning ring disposed against the underside of the drumhead of said drum and having arms connected to a substantially central hub,   a support rod abutting the underside of said hub,   a "C" shaped bracket slideably engaged with said support rod and adapted to abut the underside of said hub,   means for transferring upwardly directed force to said bracket, and   pedal actuated means for exerting a selected degree of force on said force transferring means to vary the pitch of said drum.   
     
     
       9. Apparatus as in claim 8 further including means for locking said pedal actuated means to maintain a fixed degree of force on said drumhead. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus as in claim 8 further including a support stand comprising a plurality of hollow telescoping columns for adjustment of the height of said drum. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus as in claim 8 wherein said pedal actuated means comprises a cable connected at one end to a pivoted actuating lever and at the other end to a pivoted linkage arm, said actuating lever being adapted to exert force on said force transferring means. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus as in claim 11 wherein said pedal actuated means further comprises a cam roller connected to a pedal, said cam roller being engaged with a curved cam surface of said linkage arm to pivot said linkage arm downard upon depression of said pedal. 
     
     
       13. An adjustable height stand for musical drums whose pitch is adjustable by pedal actuation, comprising a plurality of hollow telescoping column members, and   a wire cable connected at one end to drumhead tensioning means carried by the uppermost of said members and received within said members, said cable being wound about a first pulley connected to a toggle arm mounted on said stand and about a second pulley supported within said members and being connected at its other end to the inner surface of said uppermost member,   whereby the height of said stand is adjustable by telescoping said column members without varying the length of said wire cable.   
     
     
       14. A brake apparatus for locking the pedal of a pedal adjustable drum to maintain a selected pitch thereof, comprising a compressible block having a brake drum received therein,   a toothed sprocket mounted coaxially with said brake drum,   a roller chain engaged with said sprocket and having one end affixed to the base of a stand for supporting said drum, and   means for compressing said block to lock said brake drum therein by friction and thereby prevent rotation of said sprocket.   
     
     
       15. Apparatus as in claim 14 wherein said means for compressing said block comprises a "C" shaped bracket having a pivot point disposed below said block and supporting a pedal tread plate above said block, and having a roller disposed between said block and said pedal tread plate and adapted to engage at least one pin supported above said block, and wherein said block comprises a narrow longitudinal aperture extending from one end thereof into the aperture in which said brake drum is received, whereby said brake drum is adapted to be locked by friction in said block by pivoting said pedal tread plate so that said roller engages said pin and said longitudinal aperture is thereby compressed. 
     
     
       16. Actuating apparatus for adjustable pitch drums, comprising a base,   a telescoping rod assembly supported by said base,   upper and lower pulley means, said upper pulley means being supported within said telescoping rod assembly by an arm attached to said base, and said lower pulley means being mounted on a pivoted toggle arm attached at one end to said base and having a curved cam surface at its other end,   a wire cable attached at one end to the inside rod of said telescoping rod assembly, said wire cable being wound around said uppr pulley means and said lower pulley means being attached at its other end to a lever mounted upon the upper end of said inside rod of said telescoping rod assembly, said lever being adapted to engage drumhead tensioning means, and   pedal means for actuating said lever, said pedal means comprising a pedal support arm pivotally connected to said base, said arm having a roller actuably engaged therewith for engaging said curved cam surface of said pivoted toggle arm and thereby exerting a downward force on said cable when said pedal is depressed, whereby said lever is adapted to pivot when said pedal is depressed to urge said lever against drumhead tensioning means engaged therewith.   
     
     
       17. Apparatus as in claim 16 further comprising a pedal lock mechanism for maintaining any selected drumhead tension by locking said pedal means at any selected position, said mechanism comprising a roller chain fastened at one end to said base, passing over a sprocket attached to said pedal support arm, and connected to take-up means said take-up means being tensioned to take up slack in said roller chain, and brake means for locking said sprocket into any selected position, whereby activation of said brake means locks the position of said pedal and said take-up means eliminates slack in said roller chain. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus as in claim 16 further comprising drumhead tensioning means activated by said lever, said drumhead tensioning means comprising a push rod engaged with said lever and adapted to be urged upward thereby to tension a drumhead upon actuation of said lever by depression of said pedal means. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus as in claim 18 wherein said drumhead tensioning means further comprises a tensioning ring over which a drumhead may be stretched, said tensioning ring having arms connected to a substantially central hub and said push rod abutting the underside of said hub. 
     
     
       20. Actuating apparatus for adjustable pitch drums comprising a base,   a support stand mounted on said base for supporting a drum,   a pivoted lever arm mounted on said support stand,   a push rod engaged with said pivoted lever arm and adapted to engage drumhead tensioning means,   a pedal for actuating said lever arm, said pedal being pivotally connected to said base by a pedal support arm, and   a pedal lock mechanism for maintaining any selected drumhead tension by locking said pedal at any selected position, said mechanism comprising a roller chain fastened at one end to said base, passing over a sprocket attached to said pedal support arm, and connected to take-up means, said take-up means being tensioned to take up slack in said roller chain, and brake means for locking said sprocket into any selected position, whereby activation of said brake means locks the position of said pedal and said take-up means eliminates slack in said roller chain.   
     
     
       21. Apparatus as in claim 20 wherein said brake means comprises a compressible block having a brake drum received therein, said brake drum being mounted coaxially with said sprocket, and means for compressing said block to lock said brake drum therein by friction and thereby prevent rotation of said sprocket.   
     
     
       22. Apparatus as in claim 21 wherein said means for compressing said block comprises a "C" shaped bracket having a pivot point disposed below said block and supporting a pedal tread plate above said block, and having a roller disposed between said block and said pedal tread plate and adapted to engage at least one pin supported above said block, and wherein said block comprises a narrow longitudinal aperture extending from one end thereof into the aperture in which said brake drum is received, whereby said brake drum is adapted to be locked by friction in said block by pivoting said tread plate so that said roller engages said pin and said longitudinal aperture is thereby compressed. 
     
     
       23. A stand and actuating device for adjustable pitch drums comprising a base,   a telescoping rod assembly supported by said base and comprising a plurality of telescoping column sections,   a holder mounted on said telescoping rod assembly and adapted to hold a drum, said holder including a bracket supporting a guide stud,   means for varying the pitch of a drum mounted on said holder, said means comprising a pedal assembly including a pedal tread plate mounted on a pedal support arm pivotally engaged with said base, a roller actuably engaged with to said pedal support arm, linkage arm pivotally engaged with said base and having a curved cam surface for engagement with said roller, upper and lower pulley means, said upper pulley means being supported within said telescoping rod assembly by a support member mounted on said base and said lower pulley means being connected to said linkage arm, a wire cable connected at one end to the bottom of the uppermost of said telescoping column sections and therefrom being disposed around said upper pulley means and said lower pulley means and being attached at its other end to an actuating lever pivotally engaged with said bracket supporting said guide stud, an actuating pin slideably engaged with said holder and adapted to be actuated by pivotal movement of said actuating lever, a force transfer block connected to said actuating pin and slideably engaged with said guide stud, and a "C" shaped bracket supported by said force transfer block and slideably engaged with said guide stud, said bracket being adapted to exert force against a drumhead tensioning assembly of a drum mounted on said holder, and   means for locking said pedal assembly in a selected position to maintain a constant selected pitch of said drum, including sprocket means mounted on said pedal support arm, take-up means, a roller chain connected at one end to said base, passing over and engaging the teeth of said sprocket means and connected at its other end to said take-up means, and brake means for locking said sprocket means to prevent rotation thereof and thereby prevent movement of said roller chain engaging the teeth thereof.